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101 toy-free gift ideas to simplify your holiday

Are you inspired to have a more simple holiday with a little less excess at the end of the season? Especially when it comes to your children?

You're not alone.

Since I shared thesetwo posts to inspire more simple celebrations and to share our family's almost toy-free journey, I've gotten several emails asking for a bit more guidance.

Less toys? Yes! Less clutter? Please! Less consumption? Amen.

These ideas are easy to get on board with until it's time to wrap presents or stuff stockings.

But then what?

Right. That's when it gets sticky.

So Sage (12), Lupine (8) and I worked up a list of 101 toy-free (and many clutter-free, consumption-free, stuff-free!) gifts to give to your littles this season.

Going toy-free requires a little thinking outside the box, so be open to new traditions and a new way of doing things.

Remember: just because it's a new idea for your crew doesn't mean it won't be fan-freaking-tastic. You might find that you all love it more than you ever imagined.

A few thoughts before we embark:

1. We often go overboard in our culture. Way overboard. I'm as guilty of this as the next. But when I started to pull back on the gifts (and the toys) I expected my kids to be a bit disappointed. At least at first. But they weren't. The first low-stuff year was voted the "best Solstice ever" by them both (That was the year they each received an ornament and a love coupon.) Go slowly and see how it feels to everyone. This isn't a formula for a better way to do anything. It's just how we do things around here. It might be a fit, it might not. Be open to either option.

2. Consider making a gift of something you might do anyway. It sounds silly, but if you child wants to take a class or go to camp, why not give that as a holiday gift? It would surely be appreciated. And your budget will be so darn happy about it.

3. And finally, consider the child. What does your little one love? What makes them tick? I'm betting it's not only toys. Craft a gift that suits their passions. Because these are the gifts they will remember. A train-obsessed two year old would flip for a ride on a real train or a visit to a train museum. And a ballet-obsessed six year old would be wild with anticipation to see a ballet rehersal or performance. You get the idea.

Many of the gifts listed below are items I have actually given my kids through the years. Obviously you have to consider the age and interests of your child, but this is a solid jumping-off place.

But enough chatter. Let's get to it.

101 toy-free holiday gifts and stocking stuffers

Give an Experience

These are among our family's favorite gifts – to give, to receive, and to cash in!

Gift certificate to the skating rink

Gift certificate to restaurant, cafe, or ice cream shop

Movie theatre tickets

Museum membership

Love coupons for special dates together (one per month or one per season would be fun!)

Love this! One thing we really love about the Solstice is making gifts for each other. There is something so special about a pillow sewn and drawn on, a clay pot, a poem, or drawing. Rarely do I have to buy materials or do much prompting. They are thrilled to be making, in secret, little gifts they know the other will love.

I absolutely love this! My kiddos don’t want or need anything, but my relatives insist on getting them gifts, and I’ve been racking my brain trying to come up with something they could feel like they are giving that’s not “stuff” related. Thank you!

I LOVE the gift certificate for a homemade pizza party!
We are switching from toys to books and experiences.
I recently discovered a pottery studio not too far from us that does family pottery classes! I did ceramics in undergrad and can’t wait to share the experience of the transformation from clay into something completely new.

Just last night a friend called to ask if my kids would be interested in taking pottery lessons with their kids as a holiday gift. I nearly went in to edit my list, it sounded like such a good idea. Clearly you agree, Kara!

This list is quite timely for our family. My husband and I just decided to have a non-electronic Christmas. (Our kids teen & pre-teens – toys = electronics.) Thank you so much for the ideas! My head is swimming.

These are some great ideas. I really like gifts that make my child think. One gift of the past I gave my kid was a BeeStretchy stretchy band stem toy (https://www.beestretchy.com). It really helped me teach my kid about Geometry. I really like the idea of geodes! Really pretty and she can learn a little bit about earth science! Thanks!